One of the key concerns of parents when they sign their children up for classes is the school’s teacher. So, what makes an outstanding teacher? Selene Diong, Principal Instructor of Sparkanauts shares three qualities.

Resourceful

There are two important things we need to know about children. First, all children are born with a desire to learn about the world around them. Second, they love to succeed and will repeat activities that they are confident in succeeding in. Parents must be on the lookout for a resourceful teacher who is able to engage their child appropriately. It is the duty of the resourceful teacher to engage in intellectual and physical activities that will continue to fan their love for learning.

What a resourceful teacher looks like:

The resourceful teacher will be able to watch your child engage in play activities and assess their developmental milestones accordingly. For example, when a teacher watches a child play with the xylophone, she may notice that the child does not consistently use one hand and constantly switches hands in the middle. She is quick to identify that the child is constantly not crossing his midline and understands that it may affect his reading and writing abilities. A resourceful teacher would be able to take the observation further and engage the child in play activities that will encourage the child to achieve the desired milestone.

Understanding Of Children’s Brain Development

While educational qualifications are important, one important quality to look out for is a teacher’s understanding of children’s brain development. Teachers who are motivated to follow ongoing research about children’s brains will have optimism and incentive to apply their findings in the classroom. It makes a difference when teachers truly understand the neuroplasticity of a child’s brain and realize the important role they have as educators in changing a child’s brain.

What an educated teacher looks like:

They no longer see their role as caregiver or entertainer, they assume the role of life changer and become more aware of how much they can influence students’ brain processing. In Gymnademics, our teachers recognize parents as the best teachers and make it our priority to educate parents on the workings of their child’s brains. Through a strong parent-teacher partnership, this is how we strive to help your child achieve their brain’s potential.

Passionate

Passionate teachers first and utmost concern is for a child to feel safe and happy. Why? Because it is the safe, secure and happy child that does better in school. The limbic area of the brain is also known as the emotional center of the brain. This part of the brain plays a very important role in a child’s learning. If a child is dealing with stress, they cannot focus their energy on higher learning and associate it with a negative experience.

What A Passionate Teacher Looks Like:

A passionate teacher is one who has an extreme love for children and childhood education. They are not concerned about testing a child because they have a real belief in a child’s deep desire to learn. They also care deeply for a child’s emotional well-being will help them perceive learning to be an enjoyable experience filled with positive emotions.

Who Are The Best Teachers?

While we understand the important role of teachers in our society, we believe that parents are the best teachers for their own children. It is important for parents to be in partnership with outstanding teachers to change the brain of the next generation and with that, the world.

By Selene Diong, Principal Instructor of Sparkanauts (Previously Gymnademics).

This article was first published in The New Age Parents e-magazine.

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